Costa Rica Police Report First Seizure of 3D-Printed Firearms
Costa Rica’s Public Security Ministry said drug police searched a mansion in Uvita and found four 3D-printed guns, 357 units of cocaine, two pistols, magazines, ammunition and cash. Two guards were arrested, and officials described the printed weapons as a first for the country’s police and hard to trace. The cocaine quantity was reported as either packages or kilograms, and the suspects remain with prosecutors.
The raid occurred in Uvita de Osa, Puntarenas province, near the Osa Peninsula. The Drug Control Police led it with national intelligence and special police units plus the Fuerza Pública. Officers also seized two pistols, five magazines, 249 rounds including rifle ammunition, two GPS devices, satellite phones and about US$355 in cash.
The four printed weapons mix digitally designed plastic parts with metal components, the ministry said. Because they lack serial numbers, police describe them as untraceable. Reports disagree on whether the 357 cocaine units were packages or kilograms. Two guards were detained and remain with prosecutors pending a precautionary-measures hearing.
The discovery may heighten concerns among Uvita residents and Costa Rican authorities about untraceable weapons reaching local criminal networks. Because the guns lack serial numbers, investigators could face harder tracing and evidence work, while prosecutors may need new technical expertise. The case could also affect how police and security agencies prioritize 3D-printed firearms, though its broader impact remains uncertain while ownership and whether other such weapons circulate are unconfirmed.